| PHOTO: | Congolese rumba music legend Papa Wemba gives his first concert in Kinshasa June 26, 2004. Photo/REUTERS |
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By:
CAREN NYOTA and BBC
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| Posted:
May,02-2016 17:01:56
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Hundreds of mourners gathered at Kinshasa Airport in DRC Congo on Thursday to receive the body of legendary singer Papa Wemba.
Papa Wemba - real name Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba--died after collapsing on stage in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Sunday.
Wemba died aged 66 while performing at a cultural event. Ivory Coast nationals in Abidjan held an overnight concert in his memory.
Papa Wemba's body will lie at a stadium in Kinshasa next Monday ahead of his burial the following day.
The singer has been described by many as humble, passionate about music and the king of his field.
He will be remembered for hits such as Show Me The Way, Mwasi and Rail On.
One of his six children shared photos from his memorial service eulogising him as the "best dad" and "the great maestro".
Papa Wemba was rebellious, prolific, a style icon, at times notorious and always innovative, who was well known as one of the pioneers of modern Congolese soukous music.
He entered the competitive world of Congolese music in December 1969, 10 years after his country's independence.
But he was very clear about how he wanted to be remembered, according to thesleeve notes from his 1995 albumEmotion.
"When people talk about Papa Wemba, I don't want them to say I am an African singer, or a world music singer," he said.
"I would like people to say just 'singer'. Because that's what I am. A singer. Full stop."
Many of Africa's top musicians have paid tribute to Papa Wemba , including Cameroon's Manu Dibango, who described him as the "voice of Africa".
Ivory Coast's Culture Minister Maurice Bandaman said at a memorial service before the body left that "an artist never dies... Papa Wemba is dead, and now [he is] even greater than before," reports the AFP news agency.
The BBC's Tamasin Ford in Abidjan says most of the audience at the all-night concert were dressed in white as a mark of respect.
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